New target found for breast cancer therapies

A new protein has been found that is associated with breast cancer patients' survival. According to a study conducted by the UT Southwestern Medical Center, this protein is strongly associated with metastatic breast cancer and that could be a target for future therapies. High levels of the protein ZMYND8 are correlated with poor survival in breast cancer patients, said researcher Weibo Luo. Previous research has shown that breast cancer cells are more aggressive in an oxygen-deprived, or hypoxic, environment. A protein family called hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) controls responses to hypoxia, switching on pathways that lead to cancer cell growth and spread.